Power generating structure of an exerciser

ABSTRACT

A power generating structure of an exerciser is disclosed to include a driving wheel, a crank and pedal assembly for pedaling by the user to rotate the driving wheel, a gravity wheel, a first transmission belt coupled between the driving wheel and the gravity wheel, a big idle wheel fixedly provided at one side of the gravity wheel, a power generator, a small idle wheel provided at one side of the power generator, and a second transmission belt coupled between the big idle wheel and the small idle wheel for driving the power generator to generate electricity upon rotation of the gravity wheel by the driving wheel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an exercising machine and more specifically, to a power generating structure of an exerciser.

2. Description of the Related Art

A wheeled exerciser, for example, a stationary bicycle, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a frame structure 1, a crank and pedal assembly 2, a driving wheel 3, two transmission belts 4, a transmission shaft 5, a transmission wheel 6, a monitor 7, a gravity wheel 8, a reluctance generator 9. When pedaling the crank and pedal assembly 2 to rotate the driving wheel 3, the transmission shaft 5 is rotated by one transmission belt 4, and the transmission wheel 6 is rotated with the transmission shaft 5 to rotate the gravity wheel 8 and the reluctance generator 9 via the other transmission belt 4, thereby causing the reluctance generator 9 to generate electricity for the monitor 7.

The power generating system of the aforesaid design has numerous drawbacks as follows:

1. The system uses the driving wheel 3, the transmission belts 4, the transmission shaft 5, and the transmission wheel 6 to transfer applied force from the user to the gravity wheel 8 and the reluctance generator 9. This transmission arrangement uses a number of parts, resulting in a complicated structure and high cost.

2. Because the system uses a number of wheels (the driving wheel 3, the transmission wheel 6, and the gravity wheel 8) to transfer applied force from the user to the reluctance generator 9, it requires much effort to drive the reluctance generator 9 to generate electricity.

3. The reluctance generator 9 is heavy and expensive, and requires much installation space.

4. The gravity wheel 8 is a metal wheel that becomes hot quietly during operation of the exerciser, and the transmission belt 4 that is coupled to the gravity wheel 8 will become loosened soon when the gravity wheel 8 is hot, thereby affecting transmission of the applied force to the reluctance generator 9.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a power generating structure of an exerciser, which is easy and inexpensive to install. It is another object of the present invention to provide a power generating structure of an exerciser, which is stable and durable in use. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the power generating structure is installed in a wheeled exerciser, for example, a stationary bicycle, comprising a driving wheel, a crank and pedal assembly for pedaling by the user to rotate the driving wheel, a gravity wheel, a first transmission belt coupled between the driving wheel and the gravity wheel, a big idle wheel fixedly provided at one side of the gravity wheel, a power generator, a small idle wheel provided at one side of the power generator, and a second transmission belt coupled between the big idle wheel and the small idle wheel for driving the power generator to generate electricity upon rotation of the gravity wheel by the driving wheel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stationary bicycle constructed according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part of the stationary bicycle according to the prior art.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a stationary bicycle constructed according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side plain view of a part of the stationary bicycle according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side plain view of the stationary bicycle according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 3˜5, a wheeled exerciser, for example, a stationary bicycle is shown mounted in the frame structure 10 thereof a driving wheel 11, a crank and pedal assembly 12 for pedaling by the user to rotate the driving wheel 11, a gravity wheel 13, a monitor 17, a transmission belt 14 coupled between the driving wheel 11 and the gravity wheel 13, and a power generator 20 for generating electricity. The gravity wheel 13 has a big idle wheel 23 fixedly fastened to one side thereof. The power generator 20 has a small idle wheel 21 fixedly fastened to one side thereof. Further, a transmission belt 24 is coupled between the big idle wheel 23 and the small idle wheel 21. Therefore, when the gravity wheel 13 is rotated by the driving wheel 11 through the transmission belt 14 during pedaling of the crank and pedal assembly 12 by the user, the power generator 20 is rotated with the small idle wheel 21 by the transmission belt 24 to generate electricity and to have generated electricity be stored in an electricity accumulator 22.

Further, the gravity wheel 13 is mounted with a magnetoresistor 15 and a controller 16, as shown in FIG. 4. By means of the controller 16, the user can adjust the magnetoresistance of the magnetoresistor 15, i.e., adjust the resistance to the gravity wheel 13 subject to different exercising requirements.

Referring to FIG. 5, when the user is sitting on the saddle 18 of the stationary bicycle to pedal the crank and pedal assembly 12, the driving wheel 11 is driven to rotate the gravity wheel 13 through the transmission belt 14, and at the same time the big idle wheel 23 is rotated with the gravity wheel 13 to rotate the small idle wheel 21 and the power generator 20 via the transmission belt 24, and therefore the power generator 20 is driven to generate electricity. The generated electricity is stored in the electricity accumulator 22 and supplied to the monitor 17 and the controller 16.

As indicated above, the invention provides a power generating structure of an exerciser that has the following features:

1. The big idle wheel 23 and the small idle wheel 21 have different diameters, thereby providing a speed-change effect, i.e., the power generator 20 can be rotated at a high speed with less effort.

2. The big idle wheel 23 can be made of a non-metal material of low heat transfer index, preventing quick transfer of heat energy from the gravity wheel 13 to the transmission belt 24.

3. The electricity accumulator 22 can be a rechargeable battery that stores generated electricity and outputs stabilized voltage and electric current to the monitor 17 and the controller 16.

4. By means of the transmission belt 24 to transfer rotary driving force from the big idle wheel 23 to the small idle wheel 21 and the power generator 20, smooth rotation of the gravity wheel 13 is maintained.

5. The power generator 20 can be a small-sized and inexpensive power generator to lower the cost of the system.

A prototype of power generating structure of an exerciser has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 3˜5. The power generating structure of an exerciser functions smoothly to provide all the features discussed earlier.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

1. A power generating structure of an exerciser comprising a driving wheel, a crank and a pedal assembly fastened to said driving wheel for pedaling by the user to rotate said driving wheel, a gravity wheel having a gravity wheel diameter, a transmission belt coupled between said driving wheel and said gravity wheel, and a generator rotatable by said gravity wheel to generate electricity, wherein said gravity wheel has a big idle wheel fixedly fastened to one side thereof for synchronous rotation; said big idle wheel having a diameter less than said gravity wheel diameter, a controller in electrical cooperation with said big idle wheel for adjusting the resistance of the gravity wheel subjecting to different exercise requirements; said power generator has a small idle wheel fixedly fastened to one side thereof and coupled to said big idle wheel by a transmission belt for driving said power generator to generate electricity upon rotation of said gravity wheel, and an electricity accumulator electrically connected to a power output end thereof for storing generated electricity. 